Magnificent Milestones

A Series on Advent
The hymns of Luke’s birth narrative: The Nunc Dimittis by Simeon
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 2:21-35 

[In Luke’s Gospel, there are four songs attributed to different individuals that were involved in the story of Christ’s birth. In this series, we will look at the meaning of those songs, how the person(s) or angels were involved in the birth story and what it means for us today.]

  

In 1974, I graduated from Michigan State University. As a student, even though we weren’t very good, I had season tickets for football. Winning the Big Ten and going to the Rose Bowl was unthinkable. However, in later years, the worm turned.

 

In 2012, my wife and I attended the Outback Bowl where we watched the Spartans defeat the Georgia Bulldogs in triple overtime. In 2015, I went to the Big Ten championship game where, following a long fourth quarter drive, we defeated Iowa. In 2016, my wife and I couldn’t justify the cost of attending the Rose Bowl. Instead, we bought a big screen TV and watched the Spartans defeat Stanford.

 

These are wonderful memories that I never thought were possible in 1974. Thankfully, I was able to fulfill my Spartan dreams. Having seen the Spartans reach these magnificent milestones, I could have said… “now I can die”.

 

At the time Jesus was born, the people of Israel had been anxiously anticipating the Messiah for well over a millennium. This expectation was rooted in God’s covenants with Abraham and David, reinforced by the prophets, and intensified under foreign oppression. When Jesus was born, the expectation was ancient, deep, and urgent!

 

Simeon was a righteous and devout Jew who had longed for the coming of the Messiah. He had miraculously received a direct revelation from the Holy Spirit telling him that he wouldn’t die before seeing the Messiah.

 

In order for Jesus to be consecrated according to the Law of Moses, forty days following his birth, Mary and Joseph made the five-mile trip from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. That same day, the Spirit led Simeon to the Temple where Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus were.

 

When Simeon saw them, he knew that the Lord had fulfilled his promise. He took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God proclaiming what is now known as The Nunc Dimittis, which means “you may now dismiss”. Here are Simeon’s words.

 

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. ³⁰ I have seen your salvation, ³¹ which you have prepared for all people. ³² He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”        NLT

 

After seeing the Spartans’ reach their magnificent milestones, it would have been melodramatic for me to say… “now I can die”. But it wasn’t melodramatic for Simeon who said, “let your servant die in peace”. In fact, Paul said something similar when he wrote the following to the Philippian church.

 

^20b And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. ²¹ For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. ²² But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So, I really don’t know which is better. ²³ I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. ²⁴ But for your sake, it is better that I continue to live.       NLT   Philippians 1

 

It would have been easy for Paul to just quit or retire from ministry. Afterall, he’d reached many magnificent milestones. But Paul knew that he had been called by Christ to minister to the needs of others.

 

As followers of Christ, we too are called to minister to others – no matter how we’re feeling. Therefore, as Paul wrote, let us “bring honor to Christ”.

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

 

An Unexpected Christmas

A Series on Advent
The hymns of Luke’s birth narrative: Gloria in Excelsis Deo by Angelic chorus
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 2:1-21 

[In Luke’s Gospel, there are four songs attributed to different individuals that were involved in the story of Christ’s birth. In this series, we will look at the meaning of those songs, how the person(s) or angels were involved in the birth story and what it means for us today.]

  

Christmas traditions are wonderful! Decorating is a popular tradition. My wife goes all out. She decorates the whole house using every available space.

 

When you enter our home, the first thing you see is a snowman scene. In the living room, a nativity scene adorns the mantel. Across from it, on top of our piano, are myriad angels with lights gracefully wrapped around them. Finally, in front of the French doors, is our Christmas tree with an angel on the top glowing brightly.

 

Normally, Bethlehem was a sleepy little town a few miles outside of Jerusalem. However, because of the census that Caesar Augustus had decreed, it was bustling. This was the town where David was born. Therefore, anyone who was in David’s lineage had to come to Bethlehem for the census, including Joseph and Mary.

 

Despite Mary being nine months pregnant, this teenage couple had traveled 70 miles from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Most likely, they had planned to stay with relatives of Joseph. But because it was so crowded and because Mary was about to have her baby, they stayed in a stable.

 

That same night, in the outlying rugged Judean hills where David had watched his father Jesse’s sheep, were shepherds watching their flocks. Like Mary’s baby, these sheep were unblemished so that they could be used as sacrificial lambs at the temple in Jerusalem for the sins of the people.

 

Suddenly an angel appeared among the shepherds “with the blazing glory of God”. At first the shepherds were terrified, but the angel told them, “Do not be afraid”. Then he gave them this good news.

 

¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.                         NIV

 

The angel told them to look for a sign: “a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”. But then something even more remarkable happened!

 

¹³ Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”    GNT

 

This angelic choir filled the heavens and earth with the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, or “Glory to God in the Highest”. Following this, the shepherds decided to go into Bethlehem to see if they could find the child. They did!

 

Christmas traditions are great! They can help to give it meaning. But they can also make it routine so that we don’t expect the unexpected. And everything about Jesus’ birth was unexpected.

 

From the supernatural appearance of angels to the miraculous virgin birth. From the king of the Jews being born in a stable, to the praise of the angelic choir. From angels announcing the birth of the king to lowly shepherds, to a common couple parenting the Son of God. It was an unexpected Christmas.

But this is how God works. His values, his priorities and his kingdom turn our world upside down. For this, we give “Glory to God in the Highest” and he gives us a savior who brings “peace on earth”.

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

Unexpected… even Extraordinary

A Series on Advent
The hymns of Luke’s birth narrative: The Benedictus by Zechariah
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 1:67-80 

[In Luke’s Gospel, there are four songs sung by different individuals that were involved in the story of Christ’s birth. In this series, we will look at the meaning of those songs, how the singer was involved in the birth story and what it means for us today.]

When I was about eight years old, I was playing with some friends near the intersection of a residential side street and M46 – a busy two-lane highway. A boy started chasing me, so I ran from him. Without thinking, I darted across M46, right into the path of an oncoming car driving at least 45 mph.

 

Thankfully he missed hitting me, but both he and I were visibly shaken. Before this, I’d played on the same street many times without an incident. There was no reason to believe that it would be different this time. It was totally unexpected.

 

Zechariah and Elizabeth lived in the hill country of Judea, outside of Jerusalem. They were very old and had no children as Elizabeth was unable to conceive. Despite this, they were both considered righteous in God’s eyes.

 

In fact, Zechariah was a member of a priestly order. On one occasion, while serving at the Temple, he was chosen to keep the incense burning in the Holy Place. This once in a lifetime experience led to something unexpected… even extraordinary.

 

As he performed his duties, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. That was surprising enough, but then he told Zechariah that Elizabeth was going to have a son. Not only that, but their son “would prepare the people for the coming of the Lord”.

 

This was amazing news! Except, Zechariah didn’t believe it. As a result, Gabriel told Zechariah that he wouldn’t be able to speak until the day his son was born. Can you imagine what that would have been like for him?

 

He couldn’t tell anyone what had happened, particularly Elizabeth. Even more frustrating, he couldn’t tell her what was going to happen that would change their lives. However, any doubts must have gone away when Elizabeth became pregnant.

 

During the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Mary arrived with unexpected news of her own. When Mary greeted her, Elizabeth’s baby moved in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary stayed with them for about 3 months.

 

Finally, when the baby was born, Zechariah must have been bursting at the seams to talk. Afterall, he’d had nine months to contemplate what had happened to him and Elizabeth, as well as Mary’s miraculous pregnancy. Also, he’d considered how the Old Testament prophecies applied to both Elizabeth and Mary’s babies.

 

Because he still couldn’t talk, Zechariah wrote on a writing tablet, “His name is John”! Immediately, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he pronounced his prophetic hymn of praise, the Benedictus, or “praise be”. It began like this.

 

⁶⁸ “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.   NLT

 

Continuing, Zechariah praised God for sending a Savior from the line of David; for remembering his covenant with Abraham; for rescuing Israel from her enemies. Then he praised the Lord not only for his son, but also for Mary’s.

 

⁷⁶ “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord. ⁷⁷ You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.     NLT

 

Paul wrote, “We are God’s handiwork created to do good deeds”. Even with his doubts, God worked through Zechariah. The same is true for us. Even with our shortcomings, God works through us. And the results will be unexpected… even extraordinary. 

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com